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Archive: January 27, 2008 - February 2, 2008
Another Travesty in the Name of Islam
There is much wrong with what happened to this young man, not just in terms of basic human and civil rights, but also in terms of blatant violations of Islamic morality and legal codes. Even if Sayed had energetically propounded the opinions expressed in the article, that is no sin.
By Pamela K. Taylor | February 1, 2008; 3:57 PM ET | Comments (144)
Low Motives and Higher Laws
Once you can claim that a critical press is on the wrong side of God’s law, after all, you can do just about anything you want to shut it down. That’s not only a problem for Afghanistan or for Islam. I think that’s a danger in any country where politicians claim they answer to a higher law.
By Christopher Dickey | February 1, 2008; 2:09 PM ET | Comments (14)
It's The Theocrats, Stupid
My guess is that Afghan President Hamid Karzai will intervene to overrule this decision, handed down by local judges (without a defense lawyer to represent the accused) in an area of Afghanistan where fundamentalist Islamist mullahs dominate law and culture.
By Susan Jacoby | February 1, 2008; 1:59 PM ET | Comments (142)
Show Us Your Freedoms
If freedom of speech is tolerated, even encouraged, in the Islamic world, we need to see more demonstrations of it.
By Cal Thomas | February 1, 2008; 11:45 AM ET | Comments (26)
Do Not Submit to Tyranny
By submitting to tyranny, to thoughtlessness, to downright injustice and to senseless intolerance we are only encouraging the maniacs on the fringes to hijack our societies and our religious beliefs.
By Arun Gandhi | February 1, 2008; 10:59 AM ET | Comments (23)
Muslim free speech
As for Islam: like Judaism and Christianity, its texts are ambiguous, on one page speaking up for the dignity and rights of all, including other People of the Book, and on many more pages, serving to squelch other voices.
By Martin Marty | February 1, 2008; 9:33 AM ET | Comments (0)
Introverts Need Not Apply
A leader who is an introvert will have a difficult time engaging with the challenges, conflicts, needs and demands of his or her constituencies. An extrovert can generate engagement and enthusiasm for a common goal or mission.
By John Bryson Chane | February 1, 2008; 8:57 AM ET | Comments (9)
Do Christian Beliefs Preclude Freedom of Speech?
Dissent was not to be tolerated as it would both imperil a person’s salvation and undermine civil authority. In Locke’s time, freedom of speech was, in effect, un-Christian because it would lead you to damnation.
By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite | February 1, 2008; 7:24 AM ET | Comments (37)
Public Sees Leaders First
Both Pope John Paul and President Hinckley projected a positive image of their faiths even among those that would have problems with the conservative nature of their doctrinal or social beliefs and policies.
By John Esposito | February 1, 2008; 6:45 AM ET | Comments (2)
Religious Leaders Also Need Leaders
Often, religious leaders themselves do not realize how much influence they have- they need to use it responsibly, and to inspire their communities, not to be dogmatic with them.
By Julia Neuberger | February 1, 2008; 3:50 AM ET | Comments (1)
Looking for Authority and Respect
In this age of celebrity, even religious leaders who some of us might not be particularly enamored of nonetheless have authority and followings that are as much a sociological phenomenon as religious.
By Charles "Chuck" Colson | January 31, 2008; 1:03 PM ET | Comments (9)
Worthy Leaders' Two Humilities
Life would be easier—wouldn’t it?—if we didn’t need human leaders in either “state” or “church,” and didn’t need to suffer the successions from one leader to another. But we must somehow sail—in “church” and “state”—between lawless anarchy and freedomless tyranny,...
By Willis E. Elliott | January 31, 2008; 12:14 PM ET | Comments (9)
Jesus Christ with an MBA
In a media-driven world, we are tempted to focus on the charismatic and popular, but in the long run the leader who empowers others may be the best. But ultimately Christians have to remember that we are saved by Jesus Christ not by any human leader.
By Thomas J. Reese, S.J. | January 31, 2008; 10:42 AM ET | Comments (5)
Mourning a Lost Mentor
How do you pay back someone who gave you your start? I guess by making sure you give the same to others.
By Eboo Patel | January 31, 2008; 10:07 AM ET | Comments (26)
The Face of Faith
The only face of faith that really matters is your own and whether you can finally face yourself before God.
By Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite | January 31, 2008; 9:50 AM ET | Comments (51)
A Kind, Sane Voice for Openness
Hinckley came across as the embodiment of grandfatherly wisdom and kindness while avoiding sanctimony and sentimentality. how can a religion whose beliefs seem so bizarre produce sane, gentle, strong people like him?
By Richard Bushman | January 30, 2008; 8:51 AM ET | Comments (42)
When Leaders Fail Us
A failure in Muslim leadership has resulted in horrific violence and atrocious living conditions for millions and millions of Muslims around the globe, and is also responsible for much of the rising tide of Islamophobia that plagues certain groups in the West.
By Pamela K. Taylor | January 30, 2008; 7:58 AM ET | Comments (69)
Leadership Matters!
Every segment of a religious organization is impacted directly by the styles, personalities, priorities, and beliefs of the organization’s leaders.
By Welton Gaddy | January 30, 2008; 6:39 AM ET | Comments (18)
Only One True Leader
We have too many "leaders" and not enough followers of the only Leader (Jesus of Nazareth) who knows where he is going.
By Cal Thomas | January 30, 2008; 5:54 AM ET | Comments (25)
Amend the Way We Live
Our lives should line up with God’s righteousness rather than with any contemporary or traditional views.
By Leith Anderson | January 29, 2008; 8:49 AM ET | Comments (4)
Presidents Must Follow the Constitution's Standards
In my capacity as president of The Interfaith Alliance, I have written Gov. Huckabee two letters recently asking that he reexamine his understanding of the Constitution and the responsibilities of the presidency.
By Welton Gaddy | January 29, 2008; 7:54 AM ET | Comments (11)
God's Standards Cannot be Changed
We cannot change God’s standards, as Huckabee suggests Americans are doing. God’s standards are God’s standards.
By Chester Gillis | January 29, 2008; 6:24 AM ET | Comments (9)
Untenable and Un-American
America's separation of church and state was to assure that no specific religious denomination be given special preference and that both belief and unbelief have equal protection and space.
By John Esposito | January 29, 2008; 5:11 AM ET | Comments (14)
A Smarter Path for Pro-Lifers
In order for the pro-lifers to win, they need to go beyond religious arguments to philosophical arguments. In other words, they have to convince people that, at some point, the fetus is a human person with rights. Abortion has to be argued as a human rights issue not a religious issue.
By Thomas J. Reese, S.J. | January 28, 2008; 9:08 AM ET | Comments (49)
We Need to Have Faith in our Faith
Governor Huckabee’s claim is breathtaking. I can say that because I have to confess that I’ve given in to the temptation of that kind of thinking.
By William Tully | January 28, 2008; 8:30 AM ET | Comments (8)
The U.S Constitution: We Need Space for All?
What the Constitution requires is respect and a fair hearing from all perspectives. No group religious or otherwise should have the only say on how government should run.
By Gabriel Salguero | January 28, 2008; 6:32 AM ET | Comments (2)
Seeing Ourselves as God's Exclusive Agents
Sacred texts can be misapplied through handpicked reading, deciphering and interpretation.
By Rajan Zed | January 28, 2008; 5:29 AM ET | Comments (14)
Arguing Identity: Race, Religion and Beyond
Eboo Patel |It’s a shame, considering that billions of people are religious, that the only goal aggressive atheists have for the tent of religion is to burn it down.
By Eboo Patel | January 27, 2008; 11:41 PM ET | Comments (284)
